Hpv cervical cancer

I'm so afraid! My daughter went to the gyn last week, and her pap came back with atypical cells, and also a positive hpv result. The thing that has me worried is that three years ago she had atypical cells, and a biopsy that came back negative. I suggested to her that she contact her old gyn, and have the office fax her records for the new doctor. I just got the fax, and found out that she had hpv three years ago. hpv strains 16, and 18 which are the bad ugly ones. I thought, and so did she that this hpv was a new diagnosis. It has been three years, and she has never had a follow up pap until last week.  How long does it take for cervical cancer to develop?

[Elaine Brown, MD]

Hi!
Let me reassure you a bit--hpv is extremely common (even 16 and 18) and cervical cancer is extremely rare.  It usually takes many many years for cancer to develop--on the order of 20 years or so.  If your daughter follows her current doctor's instructions carefully, and is a little better about getting her follow up paps, she will never have cervical cancer--we can almost always stop it before it gets to that point.
Bottom line is, she will need to be very good about her follow up appointments!
Moms can help with that!
Good luck!
Dr B